MovieMash: Rare and new films from hither and thither on Oregon screens

A roundabout path brings a very rare German film to the Willamette Valley. "The Dove on the Roof" ("Die Taube auf dem Dach") was made in 1973 by East German director Iris Gusner, then immediately banned and, presumably, destroyed, by the authorities for what they considered a distorted view of working class life under the Communist regime. In 1990, a black-and-white print of the film was discovered and shown a few times, then it, too, was lost. Finally, in 2009, the film was rediscovered, restored (though still not in color) and screened in Germany. Oregon State University professor Sebastian Heiduschke, who has lectured on the film and issues surrounding it, will present what is almost certainly the American premiere of the film in two screenings -- 6 p.m. and 8 p.m. -- on Thursday, June 2 at Darkside Cinema, 215 S.W. 4th St. in Corvallis.

-- If you need convincing that the world of animation contains more wonders than you can imagine, get over to the Northwest Animation Festival this weekend at the 5th Ave. Cinema. 80-odd films will be presented in three completely different programs playing Friday through Sunday. It's the inaugural year of the festival, and they've got a pretty rich program, including a couple of Oscar-animated works that are rarely seen in the region.

-- Also on Friday, Cort and Fatboy, those perveyors of mirth and geekery, will present a local screening, perhaps the first ever in a theater, of the co-called "Richard Donner cut" of "Superman II," the 1980 film which brought us the immortal line, "Kneel before Zod!" The doors of the Bagdad Theater open at 10pm; film starts at 11.